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World needs people who are passionate about caring for others, pope says

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By Carol Glatz
ROME (CNS) – People need to be passionate about serving others and caring for those who suffer, Pope Francis said.

“Lord, we entrust to your heart the vocation of care – let us make every person who approaches us in need feel special,” he said in a homily to medical and teaching staff, students, patients and others at a Mass held outside the medical school connected to Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where he was a patient for 10 days in July.

The pope presided over the Mass at Rome’s University of the Sacred Heart, Nov. 5 – the first Friday of the month, which many devote to the sacred heart of Jesus. The university, which was founded in Milan and has four satellite campuses in Italy, is one of the largest Catholic universities in the world and is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

The Mass marked the 60th anniversary of the founding of the university’s Agostino Gemelli Department of Medicine and Surgery in Rome, known informally as “the pope’s hospital” as it is where popes typically go for medical treatment. Pope Francis underwent colon surgery there in July.

Pope Francis holds the Eucharist as he celebrates Mass at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome Nov. 5, 2021. The Mass marked the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the university’s faculty of medicine. Also pictured is Msgr. Diego Giovanni Ravelli, the new master of papal liturgical ceremonies. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

In his homily, the pope recognized the fatigue and challenges medical staff face, not just in their day-to-day duties, but also when it comes to dealing with rare or undetected diseases and wanting to give everyone the same high-quality health care.

“We might get discouraged. This is why we need comfort,” he said. Comfort can be found in Jesus’ sacred heart, “which beats for us, always to the rhythm of those words, ‘Have courage, do not be afraid, I am here.’”

“Have courage brothers and sisters, do not give up, the Lord, your God, is greater than your ills, he takes you by the hand and caresses you, he is near, compassionate and gentle. He is your comfort,” the pope said.

People, particularly those in the field of health care, also need the strength of memory, he said. Reflecting on the sacred heart of Jesus reminds people of the boundless goodness and love he offers freely and unconditionally.

People are usually so busy each day that they forget to remember this love and to feel the same compassion for others, he said.

During “this time of pandemic, it would be good for us to also remember those more trying times, not to make us sad, but to not forget and to guide us in our choices with the light of a very recent past,” he said.

The “art of remembering” should be practiced by not letting the day end in exhaustion but rather by taking note of and appreciating all the faces, smiles and friendly exchanges that happened throughout the day, he said.

Remembering these small gestures are important for giving meaning to those who are ill, too, he said, explaining that the “therapy of remembering” restores and heals the heart.

Jesus’ sacred heart also reflects how important passion is, the pope said.

“If we want to truly love God, we have to become passionate about humanity, each person,” above all those who live in pain and who are abandoned or discarded, he said.

“Let us ask for the grace to become passionate about people who suffer, about service, so that the church, before saying anything, safeguards a heart that pulsates with love,” he said.

Grassroots effort calls on pope to canonize six Black sainthood candidates

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By Priscila González de Doran
BALTIMORE (CNS) – When Sister Rita Michelle Proctor was a young child, she was taught by the Oblate Sisters of Providence from grades three to 10.

The sisters’ hospitality and trust in Divine Providence inspired her to become a religious sister in their Baltimore-based order.

After 53 years of love and service for the Lord in the Oblate community, the current superior general of her religious community was honored to participate at St. Ann Church in Baltimore in a Nov. 1 procession of six candidates for canonization.

She held a portrait of the community’s foundress – and one of those sainthood candidates: Mother Mary Lange, who has the title “Servant of God.”

Five other members of the African American Catholic community processed to the altar holding portraits of the other prominent Black Catholics they hope will be canonized.

They are: Sister Thea Bowman, the first African American member of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, and Julia Greeley, known as the city of Denver’s “Angel of Charity” – both have the title Servant of God – as well as Mother Henriette Delille, founder of the Sisters of the Holy Family, Father Augustus Tolton and Pierre Toussaint. The latter three have the title “Venerable.

Theresa Wilson Favors, former director of the Office of Black Catholic Ministries for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, carries a portrait of Sister Thea Bowman, a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration from Canton, Miss., during the opening procession of an All Saints’ Day Mass at St. Ann Catholic Church in Baltimore Nov. 1, 2021. Sister Bowman, who died in 1990 at age 52 from cancer, is one of six African Americans who are sainthood candidates and whose causes advocates hope will be expedited by Pope Francis. (CNS photo/Kevin J. Parks, Catholic Review)

The title “Servant of God” is given by the church to a sainthood candidate when his or her cause is officially opened.

The first step in the process after that is the declaration of a person’s heroic virtues, after which the church bestows the title “Venerable.” The second step is beatification, after which he or she is called “Blessed.” The third step is canonization.

In general, for beatification one miracle needs to be accepted by the church as having occurred through the intercession of the prospective saint and a second such verified miracle is needed for canonization.

Following the procession, Auxiliary Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski of Baltimore, the archdiocese’s urban vicar, celebrated a Mass for the feast of All Saints. Nearly 200 people were present.

The Mass was organized by a national campaign made up of members of three Baltimore parishes, St. Ann, St. Francis Xavier and St. Wenceslaus, as well as longtime members of St. Ann’s social justice committee.

The purpose was to create awareness and educate the American people about the stories of these six candidates for sainthood.

Members of the campaign are collecting signatures in a letter to Pope Francis asking him to expedite their canonization.

“While there are no U.S. African American saints, there are 11 white Americans who have been canonized,” the letter said. “We know there is a process, but it is not working for Black American Catholics and supporters. The process is reaping unfair, uneven results, especially when you realize that the six Black saints have been waiting 714 years totally if you add up the times since each died.”

Toussaint died 168 years ago, and a few of the others have been deceased for more than a century. Sister Bowman is the most contemporary, having died in 1990.

The letter asked the pope to canonize the six candidates “immediately.” “If not now, when?” it said. “If not you, who?”

Delores Moore, one of the leaders of the national campaign, a member of St. Ann’s social justice committee and a parishioner there, said the campaign started when parishioners serving the African American community realized only a few people knew about the lives of these African American holy men and women, who despite their struggles with systemic racism, remained loyal to God.

Father Donald Sterling, the first African American priest ordained in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and pastor of New All Saints in Liberty Heights, carried the portrait of Father Tolton, first African American diocesan priest in the United States.

“Besides being historical, it is humbling to think that in all these years I am the first African American priest in the Archdiocese of Baltimore,” Father Sterling said. “It is a humbling call on God’s part.”

Many present knew Sister Bowman, including Father Sterling and Therese Wilson Favors, a longtime Catholic educator and former director of the Baltimore archdiocesan Office of Black Catholic Ministries, who carried the portrait of her friend and co-worker.

Wilhelmena Braswell, a St. Ann parishioner, met Sister Bowman in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in downtown Baltimore and said “her presence would light up the room.”

Bishop Lewandowski said that in the church there are saints for every community and every person, but not in the case of the African American community.

He invited the congregation to share with everyone the stories of these future saints, to make sure their parishes display pictures of them and to ask for their intercession.

The bishop said it is important to have Masses to celebrate African American saints because the faithful identify with saints who “look like us, spoke our language, lived our experiences and can understand our struggles.”

Although the process of canonization can be long and tedious, Bishop Lewandowski encouraged the congregation by reminding them, “We don’t make saints; God does.”

(González de Doran writes for the Catholic Review, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.)

A time to pass it on: Diversity is a gift to the church

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By Kathleen Merritt for The Catholic Miscellany

During November, Black Catholics across the country will tell stories, sing from our “Lead Me Guide Me” hymnals and praise God in thanksgiving. The many acts of significance our ancestors put forth in the name of Black spirituality and creating a place for Black Catholics in the church are a cause for joy and celebration.

Father Michael Okere, vicar for Black Catholics, said this month “calls us to rejoice for all the huddles our ancestors went through to sustain their faith in the Catholic Church. Also, it calls us to rejoice in hope as we practice our faith in deep spirituality, and to leave a strong Catholic faith legacy for the generations that will come after us.”

According to demographics found on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) African American Demographics page, there are 3 million African American Catholics, 250 priests, 437 deacons, 75 in seminary formation for the priesthood, 400 religious sisters and 59 religious brothers.

Sister Thea Bowman

The diocesan Office of Black Catholics frequently celebrates the history of our African American parishioners. They have persevered through the centuries, remaining true to the mission of evangelizing Black Catholics. It is the passing on of these stories to our youth, from generation to generation, that serve as one of our best resources. Families are the center of the church, and Black Catholic History Month celebrates our families in many ways.

There are no Black saints from the United States, which is why there is a strong movement for six African Americans on the road to sainthood today. Imagine the impact on youth that the sharing of the story of faith and perseverance of our first known African American priest, Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, can have.

If you’ve never heard a speech by Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman, please go to YouTube, search her name and listen. The talk she delivered to the USCCB in 1989 on Black spirituality was so powerful that all the bishops stood up, joined hands and engaged in singing and swaying to a Negro spiritual, with her leading the song. Sister Thea is among the African American candidates for sainthood.

Many in our diocese remember meeting Sister Thea when she visited and facilitated retreats on Black spirituality. The most enlightening thing about her visit to South Carolina is that there are some people alive today who, in future, may be able to say they spent time with a saint.

Among her many contributions to the evangelization of Black Catholics, Sister Thea was instrumental in the publication of the “Lead Me Guide Me” hymnal. It became a tool for outreach Catholic Churches in Black communities. Its second edition is now available and provides a wonderful enhancement to liturgies in all parishes, not just those that are historically African American. It is another resource that allows us and the church to embrace its diversity as a gift. In addition to Father Tolton and Sister Thea, there are four more African Americans on the path to sainthood.

Included are Henriette Delille and Mother Mary Lange, who started religious orders for women of color. DeLille founded Sisters of the Holy Family in 1836 and Lange co-founded the Oblates Sisters of Providence in 1829. The Oblates were the first religious community of women of African American descent.

Another on the road to sainthood is Pierre Toussaint. He arrived in the United States from Haiti and was one of New York’s most sought-after hairstylists. After he was given his freedom, he donated his accumulated wealth to help the poor in his community. Julia Greely, last of the six, also known as Denver’s “Angel of Charity,” provided assistance to countless families in poverty.

Black Catholic history was made again in 2020 when Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory became the first African American to be made cardinal. He was also the first Black president of the USCCB. Imagine if there had never been a Father Augustus Tolton to lead the way!

The Office of Ethnic Ministries published a book called My Little Black Catholic History Book, which focuses on African saints and popes, plus quizzes on Black Catholic history and an essay on Black Catholics in South Carolina. The book is free and can be downloaded from the office’s webpage.

(In addition to the book, visit charlestondiocese.org/ethnic-ministries for more Black Catholic History events and resources.)

Kathleen Merritt is the director of the diocesan Office of Ethnic Ministries. Email her at kmerritt@charlestondiocese.org.

Briefs

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NATION
BALTIMORE (CNS) – The U.S. church today is called more than ever to carry out its centuries-long evangelizing mission at a time of spiritual awakening rising from “under the clouds of the pandemic” and the country’s uncertain future, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops told his fellow prelates. “People are starting to examine what they truly believe and what they value most deeply in their lives,” said Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez, who spoke Nov. 16 during the opening public session of the USCCB’s Nov. 15-18 general assembly in Baltimore. The questions people have allow the church to continue its mission, even in an increasingly secularized society, the archbishop said. The challenge, he said, is “to understand how the church should carry out her mission.” Archbishop Gomez acknowledged that differences among members of the church exist because of the differing views people hold on how to move forward. Still, he said, “there are also many signs of hope” that present new opportunities to bring the Gospel to others. The archbishop turned to a 19th-century prelate to find inspiration for the path ahead. Archbishop John Ireland, who as a young priest served as a chaplain in the Union Army, was a “powerful advocate for African Americans and for the rights of immigrants,” he explained.

Attendees are seen Nov. 12, 2018, at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ general assembly in Baltimore. The Nov. 15-18, 2021, assembly in Baltimore is the first time the bishops gathered in person for a national meeting since the pandemic began. (CNS photo/Kevin Lamarque, Reuters)

WASHINGTON (CNS) – A billboard will go up in New York’s Times Square during Christmas and New Year’s to promote and celebrate the evermore popular podcast “The Bible in a Year,” but more is in store for the program that topped the charts shortly after its debut in January. The creators of the daily podcast that leads listeners through the Bible’s narrative have announced several new initiatives designed to highlight the show’s success and attract even more listeners. An all-new Spanish-language version of the podcast – La Biblia en un año – with original commentary and a new, native-Spanish speaking host, will be launched Jan. 1. “The Bible in a Year Retreat” virtual event for listeners will take place Feb 18-20. It will have a limited capacity for participants but is “designed to help Catholics cultivate a lifelong relationship with the word of God – one that extends far beyond the podcast.” The planned billboard will be unveiled Dec. 19 in Times Square and will stay up through Jan. 9. “Through distraction and distress, our culture has lost a hopeful, historical biblical worldview – but by the grace of God this podcast has helped thousands rediscover it,” said Father Mike Schmitz, a priest of the Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota, and popular Catholic speaker and author, who hosts the podcast.

BANGOR, Maine (CNS) – “I hope he knows how awesome he is!” said a seventh grader at All Saints Catholic School when students sprang into action to honor Roy Ward of Bangor, a World War II veteran who celebrated his 102nd birthday on Veterans Day itself. All Saints students, who have a special appreciation for veterans, decided to create 102 birthday cards to celebrate Ward’s birthday and honor his service in the process. Ward served in the U.S. Navy in World War II as a machinist mate first class from 1941 to 1947, serving on three different vessels – USS Mizpah, USS Shenandoah and USS Yosemite. “It was too much of an opportunity for community service to pass up,” said Matthew Houghton, principal of All Saints in Bangor. “The cards are warm and creative and showcase the appreciation our students have for those who have fought for our freedom,” Houghton said.

VATICAN
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Lasting peace in the world can be achieved only by responding to the needs of current and future generations, the Vatican said as it announced the theme Pope Francis chose for his 2022 World Peace Day message. “Education, work and dialogue between generations: tools for building lasting peace” will be the theme for the Jan. 1 commemoration and for the message Pope Francis will write for the occasion, said a Vatican communique published Nov. 13. The Vatican said education, work and dialogue are consistently evolving and that Pope Francis’ message will “propose an innovative reading that responds to the needs of current and future times.” The pope’s message, the communique said, will be an invitation “to read the signs of the times with the eyes of faith, so that the direction of this change awakens new and old questions with which it is right and necessary to be confronted.” Pope Francis will seek to answer questions about education and how it contributes to lasting peace, the Vatican said. He will also address how work can “respond more or less to the vital needs of human beings on justice and freedom.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Visiting Cyprus and Greece in early December, Pope Francis will have several meetings with the countries’ Orthodox leaders and with the migrants and refugees their nations host. While Catholics account for only a small percentage of the Christians in both countries, the pope will hold meetings in both Nicosia and Athens with priests, religious and seminarians and will celebrate public Masses in both cities. The Vatican Nov. 13 released the detailed schedule of the pope’s visit Dec. 2-4 to Cyprus and Dec. 4-6 to Greece, including a return visit to migrants and refugees on the island of Lesbos awaiting resettlement.

WORLD
HONG KONG (CNS) – A Chinese bishop who was allegedly kidnapped by authorities in late October has returned to his diocese, media reports say. Ucanews.com reported Bishop Peter Shao Zhumin of Wenzhou has resurfaced, with church officials and the faithful offering thanksgiving prayers for his return. It is still unknown when the 58-year-old bishop was released following his arrest Oct. 25. The authorities reportedly said the bishop was taken for “tourism.” Bishop Shao, ordained with a papal mandate as a coadjutor bishop in 2011, fell out of favor with the government as his appointment was not approved by the state-sanctioned Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China and the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. His refusal to join and collaborate with state-run bodies led to a series of arrests and detentions. Before this detention, he had been arrested six times, including for seven months in 2017. The whereabouts of Bishop Joseph Zhang Weizhu of Xinxiang remain unknown, ucanews.com reported. Bishop Zhang was arrested in May with 10 priests and an unspecified number of seminarians.

ASSISI, Italy (CNS) – With a mix of awe and excitement, pilgrims from many parts of Europe conquered the exhaustion of a long road trip and prepared to celebrate the World Day of the Poor with Pope Francis. Lukasz Baczkowski from Poland was a bit incredulous but proud that other members of his community supported by the Barka Foundation for Mutual Help elected him as one of their 10 representatives to the pope’s meeting with the poor in Assisi Nov. 12. They drove 24 hours in a Volkswagen bus to get to the hilltop town in central Italy. Baczkowski said St. Francis of Assisi is an “inspiration” for him. With his renunciation of his family’s wealth and his total devotion to serving God and God’s poor, the Assisi saint proved that “everyone can change. No one was a saint from the beginning,” Baczkowski told Catholic News Service Nov. 11 at a pilgrim hostel in Assisi. That is a message he clings to as he continues his journey of sobriety and of living in a community rather than on the streets. The faith aspect of the Barka community and of the pilgrimage is a key part of what Baczkowski sees as his redemption. “The most important thing is the soul of a man,” he said. Faith and a helping hand from other Catholics are what helped him move from sleeping on the street, drinking, stealing – and especially from having contemplated suicide, he said.

CIUDAD JUÁREZ, Mexico (CNS) – Thirteen-hundred miles from home, a group from the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa, on a border immersion trip encountered a young woman with two kids and a car with a flat tire in Ciudad Juárez. The group, which included five deacon candidates, their formation director, diocesan bishop and immersion experience leaders, stopped to change the tire. The unexpected encounter reinforced the purpose of the Iowans’ journey: to witness life on the border, to learn about the experience of migrants, and to better minister to migrants back home. “It is one thing to hear their stories, but it is quite another to see and be at one of the main crossing points from Mexico to the U.S.,” said Davenport Bishop Thomas R. Zinkula. “It is important to talk to and learn from people who are ministering to forcibly displaced persons at the border and to the migrants themselves,” he told The Catholic Messenger, newspaper of the Davenport Diocese. Their journey began Nov. 2 with a 20-hour drive in a van from Davenport to El Paso, Texas, where they took up residence at the Encuentro Project retreat house. The Encuentro Project provides a faith-based, multifaceted immersion program in the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez border region to give participants a deeper understanding of the complex migration reality and of the community. “Encuentro” is Spanish for “encounter.”

‘What is love?’ Pope, other elders share stories for Netflix

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By Cindy Wooden
ROME (CNS) – Pope Francis, Martin Scorsese, Jane Goodall and a group of less famous “over 70s” talk to young filmmakers about love in the first episode of a four-part documentary available worldwide on Netflix on Christmas Day.

The episode “Love,” part of the series “Stories of a Generation,” premiered at the Rome Film Festival Oct. 21.

The documentary is based on “Sharing the Wisdom of Time,” a book in which Pope Francis called for creating “an alliance between the young and old people” by sharing their stories.

Published by Chicago-based Loyola Press in 2018, the book featured an introduction by Pope Francis, the stories of 30 older people and reflections by a handful of younger people on “What I learned from an elder.”

Simona Ercolani, director and producer of the Netflix series, told reporters Oct. 21 that she started working on the project after reading the book, and then the COVID-19 pandemic struck, hitting Italy early and devastating its elderly population.

The idea to make the series “became urgent because every day we had a bulletin of deaths,” she said. “We spoke with Netflix, which also felt the urgency of collecting the stories of people, who at that moment were more fragile. They liked this idea of a dialogue between generations – filmmakers under 30 and contributors over 70.”

Pope Francis is interviewed at the Vatican for “Stories of a Generation,” a Netflix series based on the pope’s book, “Sharing the Wisdom of Time.” The documentary features the pope and other people over 70 sharing their life stories and experiences with filmmakers under 30. The documentary is scheduled to be available on Netflix Dec. 25, 2021. (CNS photo/Simone Risoluti, Vatican Media)

“The stories are extraordinary in their normality, because everyone, including Pope Francis, put themselves in a position of relating (to the filmmaker) not just as a grandchild, but human being to human being,” she said.

Giovanni Bossetti, nonfiction manager for Netflix Italy, told reporters that the streaming service is all about sharing stories, so “besides the incredible access to the Holy Father” that Ercolani had, the series gave Netflix an opportunity “to tell stories that are completely different and that touch themes that are central” to the life of every person.

Eighteen elders from five continents and speaking four different languages appear in the series’ four episodes: Love, Dreams, Struggle and Work.

Pope Francis’ commentary on the four themes and reflections from his own life appear in each episode.

While the series is not “didactic” at all, Bossetti said, the elders share important, universal values with the young filmmakers and the viewing audience.

For the Netflix series, Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, editor of La Civiltà Cattolica interviewed Pope Francis while young filmmakers interviewed the other elders. Francesca Scorsese, 21, interviewed her father, the director and producer, Martin Scorsese.

Father Spadaro told reporters that Pope Francis agreed to participate in the series on the condition that he would not be “the star” of the project but would simply enter into the conversation like the other elders interviewed, “talking about himself and his personal experiences.”

“The stars are the people the pope likes to refer to as ‘the saints next door,’” he said. “They are normal people who are the heroes of daily life.”

“What is love?” Father Spadaro asked Pope Francis.

That, the pope responded at first, would be like asking, “What is air?”

“You can say love is a feeling,” or a series of electrical impulses or something akin to magnetic fields drawing together, he said. But one thing is certain: “Gratuity is key. Love is free or it is not love.”

Tango, his grandmother Rosa, helping others and the importance of dreaming of a better world all come up in the papal conversation.

Speaking via Zoom, Jane Goodall, the primatologist and anthropologist, told reporters at the Rome news conference that the film, like her Roots & Shoots program for young people, can sow much needed hope by bringing elders and young people together.

“To bring the wisdom of the elders alongside the passion of the youth is what it is going to take to change the world,” Goodall said.

Mississippi bishops issue joint statement on execution

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By Most Reverend Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D. and Most Reverend Louis F. Kihneman, III

JACKSON (Nov. 16, 2021) – In anticipation of the execution of David Cox tomorrow, our thoughts and prayers go out to the Cox family as they continue to grieve and heal from his horrific acts of violence. Their unspeakable suffering remains a heavy cross in their lives.

We share in their suffering. In 2016, two Catholic Nuns were murdered in Holmes County, Mississippi. Sister Paula Merrill, and Sister Margaret Held, served at a local medical clinic. Their brutal murders in the small community of Durant, Mississippi caused shock and sadness.

Even in the midst of such profound loss, the Sisters’ religious communities, their families, and the local church stated their opposition to the death penalty. This response is deeply rooted in our Christian faith and Catholic tradition.

The death penalty is not a deterrence to murder. We cannot teach that killing is wrong by killing those who kill others. Likewise, the antidote to violence is not more violence.

The execution of David Cox is the first in more than a decade in Mississippi. We respectfully submit the perspective and teachings from our Catholic faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that promote the abolition of the death penalty.
We encourage and pray for a more comprehensive debate that calls into question our assumptions used to morally legitimize the death penalty in Mississippi and in our nation.

We recognize that the State must protect innocent people from violent criminals. Our State and country have the ability to provide justice and protect the innocent without using the death penalty. At this time in our nation when violence afflicts the web of life, we do not need state sanctioned violence to add to this vicious cycle.

We implore our fellow citizens to ask our elected official to end the violence of the death penalty and to replace it with non-lethal means of punishment. We are called to respect every human life because each of us is created in the image and likeness of God. (Genesis 1:27)

As Christian leaders we call for alternatives to capital punishment more in keeping with our Christian values, the common good and the dignity of the human person.

Blessing of the graves

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CANTON – Father Mike O’Brien blessed graves in the Canton City Cemetery on Sunday, Nov. 7. Sacred Heart parishioners gathered at the grave of Msgr. Edward L. Cratin for a prayer service and learned from Father Mike that he “learned a lot about being a priest” from Msgr. Cratin. (Photo by Joanna Puddister King)

Calendar of events

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SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT
BROOKHAVEN St. Francis, Advent Program (Faith Hope, Joy and Love). It will take place the four weekends of Advent after the Saturday 4 p.m. Vigil Mass and after the 10 a.m. Sunday Mass in the Parish Center Library. Sessions will be followed by a light meal. Details: church office (601) 833-1799.

PEARL St. Jude, Sung Mass in Extraordinary Form, first and third Sundays of each month at 6 p.m. Details: church office (601) 939-3181.

PINEVILLE, La. A.C.T.S. Retreats at the Mary Hill Renewal Center, Men’s retreat Jan. 13-16. 2022 and Ladies retreat Feb. 10-13, 2022. Opportunity for spiritual renewal and fellowship beginning Thursday evening at 5 p.m. and concluding with 10 a.m. Mass on Sunday at St. Patrick Church in Ferriday, La. Cost of the retreat is $50 deposit plus $125 due at retreat check-in. Open to persons 18 years or older. Details: to register contact St. Patrick Church at (318) 757-3834.

PARISH, FAMILY AND SCHOOL EVENTS
CANTON Sacred Heart, Ladies Stretch Classes, Thursdays, Dec. 2-23 at 10 a.m. led by Teresa Speer in the Sacred Heart Parish Center. Details: Jo Lynn at (601) 941-0821 or Teresa at (769) 233-1989.

CLEVELAND Our Lady of Victories, Life After Loss beginning Nov. 30 at 11:45 a.m. and continuing to Jan. 4. Deaths and suffering from COVID and other illnesses and the uncertainties about daily life still linger. We worry for ourselves and others. What can we do? Join discussions on recovering and coping. Sessions free and open for all. Details: Larry Lambert at (662) 719-8756 or larry@mazzy.com.

FLOWOOD St. Paul, Mississippi Association of Returning Citizens (MARC) will be resuming re-entry classes in prisons in January 2022. If you are interested in serving in this ministry and helping incarcerated men and women “Get Ahead While Getting Out,” make plans to attend a training session in the Family Life Center on Saturday, Dec. 4 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Details: Bob Pavolini at (334) 717-0890.

NATCHEZ Assumption of BVM, Bingo, Sunday, Dec. 12 in Tutie Hall beginning 10 a.m. They will play 10 games and break for a burger lunch, then resume for another 10 games. To donate prizes, bring items or gifts before Dec. 12. Details: (601) 442-7250.

NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, Poinsettia sale fundraiser for the CYO. Plants are from Fred’s Nursery in 6-inch foil sleeved pots. Cost $15; or order 10 or more for $12.50 each. Available for pickup first week of Dec. Quantities are limited, so place your order early. Details: stmaryyouth@cableone.net.

OLIVE BRANCH Queen of Peace, Manger Lighting, Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. In union with Knights of Columbus through out the world, there will be a prayer, a ceremonial blessing and lighting of the manger. Details: church office (662) 895-5007.

Queen of Peace, Breakfast with Santa, Sunday, Dec. 5 after Mass. Details: church office (662) 895-5007.
SOUTHAVEN Sacred Heart Southern Missions needs your help with mobile food distribution at Landers Center, on Wednesdays, Nov. 17 – Dec. 15. Details: call Lois Harrison (901) 626-5432.

STARKVILLE St. Joseph, Position available! Homebound food pantry coordinator is needed beginning in January. Details: for more information, email Barbara Clynch at paubab@hotmail.com.

CYO Garage Sale, Saturday, Dec. 4 from 8-11:30 a.m. in parish center, donations needed in good, working condition. Drop off Thursday, Dec. 2, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. No clothing. Details: deaconjeff@stjosephstarkville.org.

TUPELO St. James, Christmas VBS – Follow the Star, Saturday, Dec. 18 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for ages three through sixth grade at the St. James Catholic Life Center. Register by Dec. 8. Details: Lora Beth at (662) 213-7959 or lorabethb@gmail.com.

YAZOO CITY St. Mary, Bake Sale, Tuesday, Nov. 23 from 7-11 a.m. in the parish hall. Details: yazoocitystm@jacksondiocese.org.

YOUTH BRIEFS
HERNANDO Holy Spirit, Wednesday night “Open Gym” 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Make plans to come Wednesdays and enjoy food, fun and games. Details: church office (662) 429-7851.

TUPELO St. James, Disciple Now – Rhythms, Jan. 14-16, for 7-12 graders. Cost: $50. Details: email Cara at carambristow@gmail.com.

SAVE THE DATE
JACKSON Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, World Day Marriage on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022 at 3 p.m., there will be Mass celebrated by Bishop Joseph Kopacz. The Mass honors all married couples, but especially invites those celebrating their 25th, 50th and 60th anniversaries. Details: to have your anniversary recognized, call your parish office or email charlene.bearden@jacksondiocese.org.

JACKSON St. Richard School, Krewe de Cardinal, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. This festive evening features a brass band, silent and live auctions, a cash drawing, and cocktails and cuisine. Tickets are $50/per person or $100/per couple in advance. Sponsorships are available and come with reserved seating and an invitation to the pre-event VIP Cocktail Hour. Details: development@strichardschool.org.

MADISON St. Francis, Ring in Your Faith 10k/5k, Jan. 1, 2022 at 8 a.m. at Old Trace Park in Ridgeland. Finisher medals for all and t-shirts for everyone who registers by Dec. 16. Also will serve New Year’s meal of corned beef, black-eyed peas and cabbage! Cost: $30. Details: register at https://bit.ly/RingInYourFaith.

St. Joseph School, Jeans, Jazz & Bruin Blues $10,000 Draw Down, Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022 at the Country Club of Jackson. To sponsor or purchase a draw down ticket visit www.stjoedrawdown.com.

MERIDIAN St. Patrick School, Candy Cane 5K Dash, Saturday, Dec. 4 beginning at 8:30 a.m. Details: Registration is now open at www.time2run.net.

VICKSBURG Vicksburg Catholic School, $10,000 Drawdown on the River, Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022. Details: www.vicksburgcatholic.org.

WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA
CLINTON Holy Savior, Knights of Columbus Bishop R. O. Gerow Assembly 554 is sponsoring the Clinton City Cemetery. Wreaths are $15 and they have approx. 250 veterans’s gravesites which they hope to lay wreaths on Dec. 18 at 12 p.m. Details: https://kofc554.org/wreaths.

NATCHEZ Home with Heroes, To sponsor a wreath in the Natchez National Cemetery, Greenlawn Memorial Park or Vidalia Cemetery. Sponsored by Knights of Columbus Bishop R. O. Gerow Council 1034. Wreaths are $15 and must be purchased by Nov. 30. Details: Mark LaFrancis at (601) 442-0980 or www.homewithheroes.org.

Siervos Misioneros de la Santísima Trinidad celebran 100 años

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Por Berta Mexidor
JACKSON – Cientos de feligreses de cuatro iglesias se reunieron en Sacred Heart de Camden para celebrar los 100 años de las Misiones Trinitarias, en una Misa celebrada por el obispo Kopacz el sábado 13.

La misma fue concelebrada por los sacerdotes Misioneros Trinitarios: Padres Mike Barth, custodio general de Trinity Missions, Odel Medina, Guy Wilson, Gustavo Amell, Raul Ventura, Alexis Zúñiga Velásquez, Robert “Bob” Goodyear y el padre Mike O’Brien, pastor de Sacred Heart Canton.

El obispo Kopacz reconoció los actos de los siervos trinitarios al servir a miles de católicos de Mississippi durante más de 77 años “Tenemos el espíritu de asombro, por todo lo que Dios ha hecho por nosotros,” dijo el obispo Kopacz en su homilía.

Al final de la Misa, el padre Mike Barth entregó placas de reconocimiento a los representantes de Sacred Heart Camden, St Therese Kosciusko, Holy Child Jesus Canton, St Anne Carthage, Holy Rosary Indian Mission, la Hermana Mary Anne Poeschl RSM y el Obispo Kopacz por su contribución a las Misiones Trinitarias. El Padre Barth también bendijo la cruz renovada frente a la Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Camden. El padre Guy Wilson, ST creó un collar de cerámica como recuerdo de la celebración del centenario y cada asistente recibió uno de ellos.

CAMDEN – El frio no impidió el caluroso recibimiento de los Padres Trinitarios a cada uno de los asistentes a su centenaria celebración. (i-d) Padre Guy Wilson, ST; Padre Mike Barth, ST, Padre “Bob” Goodyear, ST; Bishop Joseph Kopacz; Padre Alexis Zuniga, ST; Padre Odel Medina, ST; Padre Raul Ventura, ST; Padre Mike O’Brien y Padre Gustavo Amell, ST en el momento de la Eucaristía, en Misa que co-celebraron con el obispo Kopacz el 13 de noviembre. (Fotos por Berta Mexidor)

Fundación de Trinitarios
Una idea puede ser una pequeña inspiración del Espíritu Santo para crear una institución que pueda ayudar a millones de personas durante 100 años o más. Este es el mensaje central detrás de la Misión Trinitaria.

En este caso, la chispa sagrada provino de seis mujeres, voluntarias en Brooklyn, que se reunieron con el Padre Thomas Augustine Judge alrededor de 1909, para discutir su interés en “ayudar a los nuevos inmigrantes de los países católicos de Europa del Este y del Sur. …Este fue el comienzo del Apostolado del Cenáculo Misionero de misioneros laicos,” según explica el sitio web de Trinity Missions.

Debido a su arduo trabajo y “celo por la salvación de las almas,” el Cenáculo fue reconocido formalmente por Edward Patrick Allen, Obispo de Mobile, Alabama en 1921, fecha registrada como la creación formal de la Congregación de los Siervos Misioneros de la Santísima Trinidad, para más tarde, en 1929, ser reconocida como orden religiosa clerical de rango diocesano y finalmente en 1958 como una congregación pontificia.

77 años en Mississippi
Los libros de historia y los lugareños recordaron que los Trinitarios vinieron por primera vez en 1944, representados por el Padre Andrew Lawrence, ST asumiendo la responsabilidad de la iglesia Inmaculada Concepción y sus misiones en ese momento: Sacred Heart en Sulphur Springs Road y St. Anne en Carthage.

En los archivos de 1945, los registros muestran la solicitud del obispo Gerow pidiéndole al padre Lawrence “que busque hacer algo por las personas de color en Cantón.” Esta solicitud fue más que una aprobación de la Misión Trinitaria, fue aliento para continuar con ella.

Sulphur Spring y los Trinitarios: aquí jugaban la nieve y el fuego.
La historia antes de Internet, Facebook y YouTube está en los libros, algunos de ellos pesados, por cierto, pero también con mucha retórica similar a las de las redes sociales.

Un ejemplo es sobre las historias de un lugar llamado Sulphur Spring. Para saber los detalles, visita el sitio web diocesano Mississippi Catholic/Español.

Trinitarios y una futura Santa
Con la narración del padre Austin Walsh, ST en el libro antes mencionado, se puede aprender de como una pequeña niña negra, no católica, se inscribió en la escuela para terminar siendo una monja católica.

El sueño trinitario de una escuela para negros en 1944 traerá la primera santa de Mississippi, en la hermana Thea Bowman, sierva de Dios.

CAMDEN – Cientos de feligreses retaron el frio de la mañana del sábado 13 de noviembre, para celebrar el 100 Aniversario de la congregación de Padres, a los que conocen bien por su dedicación y cariño. Cada uno de los participantes recibió un pendiente (esquina derecha de la foto) con el símbolo del espíritu Santo, creación en cerámica del padre Guy Wilson, ST.

Los nativos americanos en el corazón de los trinitarios
Es asombroso cómo trabaja Dios, haciendo que una idea, en la ciudad cosmopolita de Brooklyn, Nueva York aterrize sus frutos en la Reserva Choctaw en Filadelfia, Misisipi.

Hace solo unos meses el trabajo del Padre Robert “Bob” Goodyear, ST se destacó en todo el país cuando fue nominado por la Diócesis de Jackson para el premio Lumen Christi de Catholic Extension.

El Padre Goodyear llegó a la Misión India del Santo Rosario en 1975 para continuar la labor de sus compañeros sacerdotes. Su nominación también fue para todos los Trinitarios, que sirvieron desde 1944 y que atienden ahora a más de 10,000 personas de la nación Choctaw.

Misión Trinitaria continua
En 2019, sacerdotes Trinitarios estuvieron en el centro de las secuelas de redadas masivas contra inmigrantes y el padre Odel Medina pastor de St. Anne Carthage fue uno de ellos. La historia a veces se repite.

Todos los sacerdotes se elevaron alto en torno a la adversidad para ayudar más allá de la capacidad humana a sus comunidades. El padre Odel Medina en Carthage fue hasta una Audiencia del Congreso para defender a las familias de los migrantes que trabajan duro poniendo comida en la mesa de todos los Misisipianos. El apoyo que recibieron de los voluntarios, de toda la comunidad y su liderazgo alcanzó los estándares establecidos hace años por los Padres Judge y Lawrence.

El Padre Odel explica que allá por 1909, era solo una ilusión “hacer de cada católico un Apóstol,”y ve en la participación de los laicos, como el sueño del Padre Judge, se hizo realidad; “El gigante dormido”, como llamó el padre Judge al laicado, es un verdadero motor para la iglesia, enfatiza el padre Odel. Después de casi 10 años en Mississippi, el Padre Odel fue testigo del crecimiento de la comunidad Hispana fruto del trabajo de “preservar la fe entre los inmigrantes y diferentes lugares” legado de los fundadores Trinitarios. “El Padre Judge comenzó principalmente con la inmigración italiana, aquí en Mississippi el inmigrante Hispano es un fenómeno nuevo y los números están aumentando al igual que nuestra forma de vida y fe. El futuro va a una iglesia pluricultural,” dijo.

El Padre Odel está siendo reasignado, es lo que hacen los Misioneros ir de un lugar a otro, “Este centenario es un jubileo… he estado caminando con todos mis feligreses, en las buenas y en las malas, pero principalmente con los más vulnerables, todo ha sido una gran bendición para mí”.

El Espíritu Santo al centro de todo
El obispo Kopacz dijo durante su Homilia “El Espíritu Santo está volando sobre esta asamblea … porque somos hijos de Dios, tenemos un espíritu de esperanza y gratitud.” En cien años, los Trinitarios han logrado más que escuelas, seminarios y edificios, han tocado a millones de personas de diferentes orígenes, razas y credos.

Este sábado en Camden, fue una congregación centenaria de las diferentes parroquias al cuidado de los Trinitarios; allí se podía ver la satisfacción, los sueños para el futuro y se podía sentir la presencia de los Padres Trinitarios Judge y Lawrence, de la Hermana Thea y de las seis almas de Brooklyn.

Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, símbolo de Esperanza y Renovación

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Por Hosffman Ospino Catholic News Service
La devoción mariana más popular entre los católicos estadounidenses hoy en día es la devoción a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Es la devoción mariana más conocida en el continente americano y quizás la imagen religiosa más venerada en todo el mundo. Pudiésemos decir que la admiración a esta devoción se debe al crecimiento rápido de los hispanos en nuestro país, quienes constituimos cerca de la mitad de todos los católicos estadounidenses. Sin embargo, la Virgen de Guadalupe tiene un lugar especial en los corazones de los católicos de toda cultura, raza y estatus social.

La primera vez que me encontré con Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe fue cuando era niño y escuché la historia de sus apariciones. El texto es hermoso y encantador. Es una historia en la cual lo humano y lo divino se entretejen con gran naturalidad al estilo de las historias bíblicas. La historia de su aparicion contiene todas las características de un verdadero drama.

La Virgen de Guadalupe, al centro del Mes de la Herencia Hispana y la Semana Nacional de la Migración en St James Tupelo. La parroquia se prepara para la celebración más esperada de la comunidad Hispana (Foto de Berta Mexidor)

¡Un drama cristiano; uno de los primeros en el continente del que tenemos un testimonio escrito!
Como en el caso de la gran narrativa cristiana, al final los pobres son exaltados, los oprimidos encuentran libertad, la vida vence a la muerte, la esperanza conquista la aflicción. No cabe duda de que estas características, todas presentes en la historia de las apariciones de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, explican por qué millones y millones de personas han hecho suya esta devoción.

Todos somos Juan Diego en algún momento.
María de Guadalupe es un símbolo poderoso de esperanza.
He visto esto en la manera en que muchos católicos se acercan a la historia y veneran la imagen. Ella nos recuerda que no importa qué tan difícil la vida puede ser, Dios no nos abandona. Dios ama a los pobres y a los afligidos. Su cuerpo en embarazo es el santuario que guarda la esperanza última de Dios para la humanidad: Jesucristo.
María de Guadalupe es un verdadero símbolo de renovación.

No cabe duda de que el 2020 fue un año difícil. La pandemia nos trajo enfermedad, dolor, aislamiento, desesperanza e incluso muerte. Las tensiones sociales recientes abrieron heridas sin sanar causadas por el racismo, recordándonos de nuevo que esta iniquidad seguirá hasta que le confrontemos de una vez por todas. Nuestras comunidades sufren el dolor de la división mientras que nuestro sistema político pasa por el crisol de pruebas sin precedente.
Dios sabe que necesitamos esperanza y renovación. Tal como le prometió a Juan Diego, ella nos acompaña. De eso tengo la certeza.

(Dr. Hosffman Ospino es profesor de teología en el Boston College. Version completa de este artículo se puede encontar en la pagina web Mississippi Catholic/Español)